FUNDING for Christmas trees and lights will be scrapped in a new catalogue of cuts set for approval.

Sefton town hall bosses say the £19,000 cost for 11 trees across the borough is an “unsustainable amount”.

A report to be debated by councillors on Thursday states: “The council will no longer supply, install and maintain the 11 Christmas trees and provide financial support throughout the borough for Christmas celebrations.”

Other options set for approval include:

Slashing £3m from the council wage bill through a two-year pay freeze and a four-day shutdown of services at Christmas;

Referring to discussions with trade unions, council leader Peter Dowd said: "These things are difficult to deal with. Staff won't have had a rise in something like three years and of course there's been other things.

“It was difficult but not just difficult negotiations, difficult decisions to make."

Plans to cut school crossing services have also been abandoned for the next two years, while charging junior sports users pay for facilities is to be scrapped for now.